USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Plymouth > Town annual report of Plymouth, MA 1957 > Part 18
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The Commission feels that the Town should acquire all beach property possible. The Commission and the de- partment is again appreciative of the many courtesies and considerations that have been extended to it in the past by Town Officials and Town Department heads.
WALTER B. HASKELL, Chairman, EDWARD J. E. HAND, O. ARRIGO GUIDABONI, JOHN W. SEARLES, CHARLES C. WALL, Board of Park Commissioners.
ARTHUR M. SIRRICO,
Superintendent.
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REPORT OF THE BOARD OF RETIREMENT
To the Citizens of the Town of Plymouth:
The Board of Retirement presents herewith its twenty-first report covering the activities and condition of the Contributory Retirement System for the year 1957.
Again there have been a number of amendments to Chapter 32 of the General Laws during 1957, three of which we feel should be brought to the attention of the members.
Chapter 536. Amends Section 13 (2) (a & b) and affects members who would otherwise be entitled to a retirement allowance of less than $360 a year. This section provides that the total accumulated deductions shall be refunded in lieu of a retirement allowance.
Chapter 661. Amends Section 5 (2) and sets up an entirely new simplified method of computing retirement allowances. In most cases the retirement allowance computed under this method is larger than under the old method. Members, whose annual salary during the period before 1946 was in excess of $2,600, should pay into the Retirement System the amount necessary to give them credit for their full salary during that period, to insure receipt of the most liberal retirement allowance upon retirement. Any member may, in general, compute his own retirement allowance under Option (a) in the following manner:
1. Add up the annual salaries you received in the five consecutive years during which you received your largest salaries and divide by five.
2. Multiply this average annual salary by your number of years of creditable service.
3. If you were 60 years of age on your last birthday (or fifty-five years of age and a Group B member, i.e.
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Police or Fire), your retirement allowance will be 2% of the amount determined at the end of Step 2 above. Employees over sixty years of age or under sixty years of age should use the appropriate factor shown in the table below in place of the 2%.
Age Last Birthday at Date of Retirement
Per Cent
Group A
Group B
2.5.
65 or over
60 or over
2.4.
64
59
2.3
63
58
2.2
62
57
2.1
61
56
2.0
60
55
1.9
59
1.8
58
1.7
57
1.6.
56
1.5.
55
It must be borne in mind that election of Options (b) or (c) would reduce your retirement allowance. Also a veteran, as defined in Section 1 of Chapter 32, would receive a further allowance in addition to the above. Moreover no retirement allowance can exceed 80% of the average annual salary as determined in Step 1 above.
Chapter 766. Adds a new Section 91A and requires every person, retired after 12/20/57 under any general or special law for disability, to certify to the retiring authority before the last day of January of each year the amount of his earnings from any gainful occupation during the preceding year. If his earnings are in excess of the amount allowed under this section, the pension or retirement allowance must be adjusted.
I. MEMBERSHIP
1. Active Membership Dec. 31, 1956 232
Enrolled during 1957 23
255
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Deaths 2
Withdrawals 16
Transfers to inactive membership 3
Retirements 2
23
Total Active Membership, Dec. 31, 1957
232
2. Inactive Membership, Dec. 31, 1956
33
Retirements 2
Transfers from active membership 3
38
Deaths
6
Withdrawals
3
9
Total Inactive Membership, Dec. 31, 1957 29* *This total includes 24 pensioners and 5 inactive members.
3. Beneficiaries from Accidental Deaths
4
Beneficiaries receiving Survivorship Allowance 1 5
II. RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURES
Balance, Dec. 31, 1956 $317,298.52
1. Receipts:
Deductions from members' salaries and wages $35,158.11
Appropriation, March 1957 32,654.06
Due from town for military service credit 210.20
Income from interest
10,853.03
Accrued interest on bonds, Dec. 31, 1957 2,806.06
Gross profit on sale of securities
124.85
Increase by adjustment in securities 282.52
82,088.83
$399,387.35
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2. Expenditures:
Annuity payments
$5,231.00
Pension payments
28,724.12
Survivorship payments
488.78
Disability pension payments
2,006.76
Accidental death benefits
5,372.10
Reimbursement to other systems
289.92
Refunds to former members
9,359.37
Clerical services
672.00
Other administrative expenses
251.11
Transfers to other systems
2,443.50
Accrued interest on bonds,
Dec. 31, 1956
2,204.18
Gross loss on sale of securities
254.42
Decrease by adjustment in
securities
3,087.05
60,384.31
Balance, Dec. 31, 1957
$339,003.04
III. BALANCE SHEET
1. Assets:
Plymouth National Bank
$4,995.68
Plymouth Federal Savings and Loan Ass'n
10,000.00
Beverly Savings Bank
3,000.00
Danvers Savings Bank
2,000.00
American Trust Company-San Francisco
1,650.00
California Bank of Los Angeles
2,000.00
Cont. Illinois National Bank and Trust
3,108.00
First National Bank of Boston
3,498.00
Manufacturers Trust
2,050.00
National Shawmut Bank of Boston
4,000.00
Newton Waltham Bank and Trust
2,050.00
Rockland-Atlas National Bank of Boston
3,861.00
U. S. Treasury bonds, Series G
15,000.00
U. S. Treasury bonds, 31/4's of '83
3,000.00
City of New Bedford bonds, 4.1% of '77
5,067.26
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City of Taunton Housing Authority bonds, 25/8's of '86 3,000.00
Mass. Turnpike Authority bonds, 3.3's of '94 5,074.48
Ralph C. Mahar Regional School District bonds, 33/4's of "73
5,028.58
Town of Dracut bonds, 3's of '76
3,000.00
Central of Georgia Rwy. bonds, 5's of '62
5,000.00
Chesapeake & Ohio Rwy. bonds, 31/2's of '96
1,043.42
1,019.18
Chesapeake & Ohio Rwy. bonds, 31/2's of '96 Chesapeake & Ohio Rwy. bonds, 35/8's of '66 Great Northern Rwy. bonds, 23/4's of '82
3,026.31
Gulf Mobile & Ohio Railroad bonds, 33/8's of '80 1,992.16
Illinois Central Rwy. bonds, 31/4's of '80
1,993.64
Illinois Central Rwy. bonds, 33/8's of '89
2,000.00
Louisville & Nashville Rwy. bonds,
33/8's of '03
2,185.98
Louisville & Nashville Rwy. bonds, 33/4's of '03
2,000.00
N. Y. Central & Hudson River Rwy. bonds, 31/2's of '97
3,180.16
N. Y., Chicago & St. Louis Rwy. bonds, 3's of '86
5,095.80
N. Y., Chicago & St. Louis Rwy. bonds, 27/8's of '61 1,977.13
Northern Pacific Rwy. bonds, 4's of '97
5,995.34
Pere Marquette Rwy. bonds, 33/8's of '80 2,979.04
Reading Co. bonds, 31/8's of '95
5,083.16
Seaboard Air Line Rwy. bonds, 3's of '80
2,985.45
Southern Pacific Rwy. bonds, 23/4's of '96
1,682.40
Southern Pacific Rwy. bonds, 41/2's of '62
4,970.19
St. Louis-San Francisco Rwy. bonds, 4's of '80 1,985.17
Virginian Rwy. bonds, 3's of '95 4,062.98
Western Maryland Rwy. bonds, 3's of '61
1,000.00
Western Maryland Rwy. bonds, 3's of '60 997.61
Wheeling & Lake Erie Rwy. bonds, 23/4's of "74 1,986.77 Amer. Tel. & Tel. Co. bonds, 25/8's of '86 2,014.11
1,020.17
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Amer. Tel. & Tel. Co. bonds, 23/4's of '82 2,010.59
Amer. Tel. & Tel. Co. bonds, 23/4's of '80 2,020.19
Amer. Tel. & Tel. Co. bonds, 33/8's of '73
2,023.39
Amer. Tel. & Tel. Co. bonds, 31/4's of '84 Amer. Tel. & Tel. Co. bonds, 43/8's of '85 5,059.56
4,093.61
Associated Tel. Co. bonds, 35/8's of '81
2,040.01
General Tel. Co. of California bonds, 41/2's of '86 5,072.57
Illinois Bell Tel. Co. bonds, 3's of '78 2,042.99
Illinois Bell Tel. Co. bonds, 31/8's of '84 2,026.90
Mountain States Tel. Co. bonds, 31/8's of '78
2,037.64
Mountain States Tel. Co. bonds, 31/2's of '90 5,048.44
Mountain States Tel. Co. bonds, 43/8's of '88 5,062.80
New Eng. Tel. & Tel. Co. bonds, 3's of '82 2,049.37
New Eng. Tel. & Tel. Co. bonds, 3's of '74
2,010.19
New Jersey Bell Tel. Co. bonds, 31/8's of '88
977.71
New Jersey Bell Tel. Co. bonds, 3's of '89
2,020.00
New York Tel. Co. bonds, 33/8's of '96
4,931.03
Northwestern Bell Tel. Co. bonds, 43/8's of '89 5,046.78
Pacific Tel. & Tel. Co. bonds, 31/8's of '87
2,021.35
Pacific Tel. & Tel. Co. bonds, 31/4's of '78
2,056.83
Pacific Tel. & Tel. Co. bonds, 23/4's of '85
1,924.21
Pacific Tel. & Tel. Co. bonds, 31/8's of '83
2,011.80
Pacific Tel. & Tel. Co. bonds, 31/4's of '79
2,854.89
Southern Bell Tel. Co. bonds, 23/4's of '85
1,910.26
Wisconsin Tel. Co. bonds, 41/2's of '92 5,061.65
Arkansas Power & Light bonds, 31/8's of '74 2,032.85
Cal. Oregon Power Co. bonds, 37/s's of '86
5,064.50
Central Maine Power Co. bonds, 33/8's of '85
2,016.00
Central Vermont Pub. Service bonds, 23/4's of '75 1,929.70
Central Vermont Pub. Service bonds, 31/2's of '81
1,018.37
Community Pub. Service bonds, 53/8's of '87
5,093.24
Cons. Edison Co. of N. Y. bonds, 3's of '79
2,040.83
Cons. Gas, Elec. Light & Power of Baltimore bonds, 23/4's of '86 4,023.52
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Consumers Power bonds, 4's of '86 5,050.00
Duquesne Light Co. bonds, 35/8's of '83 2,087.11 Fall River Elec. Light Co. bonds, 33/4's of '83 3,003.07 Georgia Power Co. bonds, 33/8's of '82 3,125.09
Kentucky Utilities Co. bonds, 33/4's of '86 5,069.82
Maine Public Service Co. bonds, 27/8's of "75 1,888.37
Milwaukee Gas Light Co. bonds, 31/8's of "75 3,030.59
Montana Power Co. bonds, 27/8's of "75
5,889.12
New England Power Co. bonds, 23/4's of "79
2,006.51
New Orleans Pub. Service Co. bonds, 41/2's of '87 5,040.36
No. Indiana Pub. Serv. Co. bonds, 31/8's of "73 6,855.30
North Shore Gas Co. bonds, 4's of '75 4,051.11
Pacific Gas & Elec. Co. bonds, 3's of '70
2,017.10
Pacific Gas & Elec. Co. bonds, 3's of "71
2,064.90
Public Serv. Co. of N. H. bonds, 31/4's of '73 2,109.64
Pub. Serv. Co. of Oklahoma bonds, 41/4's of '87 4,966.83 Rockland Light & Power Co. bonds, 31/8's of "78 2,036.11 Savannah Elec. & Power Co. bonds, 37/8's of '86 5,108.28 So. Cal. Edison Co. bonds, 3's of '65
2,016.35
So. Nevada Power Co. bonds, 51/2's of '86
5,050.00
Utah Power & Light Co. bonds, 35/8's of '81
3,119.84
Virginia Elec. & Power Co. bonds, 33/8's of '81 3,087.21 Wisconsin Elec. Power Co. bonds, 37/8's of '86 5,090.77 Wisconsin Michigan Power Co. bonds, 3's of "78 1,923.34 Aluminum Co. of America bonds, 31/8's of '64 1,007.97
American Tobacco Co. bonds, 3's of '69 989.03
General Motors Corp. bonds, 31/4's of '79 2,012.17
National Dairy Products bonds, 31/8's of '76 997.85
Accrued interest on bonds as of Dec. 31, 1957 2,806.06
Due from town for military service credit 210.20
$339,003.04
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2. Liabilities:
Annuity Savings Fund
$269,237.79
Annuity Reserve Fund
30,313.14
Military Service Fund
3,673.52
Pension Fund
35,230.53
Expense Fund
548.06
$339,003.04
Respectfully submitted,
LESLIE R. GRAY, Chairman,
CORA B. GRADY, Secretary, JOHN P. RYAN, Contributory Retirement System
Board of Retirement, Plymouth
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REPORT OF ADVISORY AND FINANCE COMMITTEE FOR 1957
Your Advisory and Finance Committee again calls your attention to the very slight growth in the population of Plym- outh, while the cost of our government has increased steadily.
In the past, to keep the tax rate low, we have recommend- ed minimum expenditures, merely to maintain our physical plant. Under this system it is apparent that our highways and some other services are not being maintained and ex- panded fast enough to keep up with the demands of the public and changing times. We, therefore, feel that the Town must spend at a faster rate in certain fields in order to im- prove and enlarge its facilities and thereby make the Town more attractive for residents, tourists and prospective busi- ness.
We are faced with two choices today, which are, to pro- gress or to remain dormant. We can no longer put off making a choice if we wish to join in the prosperity of the country as a whole. We must go ahead and spend, judiciously, in order to expand the Town and to progress. By doing this, we are enhancing the Town and making it attractive to all those desirous of locating in it.
Last year we pointed out that the Town had not grown appreciably since 1920, yet the cost of operation had mounted constantly. We suggested that this high cost of operation, with the resulting high tax rate, was discouraging the ex- pansion of the Town, which has not kept pace with that of surrounding areas. Our recommendations this year are based on improvements to the physical plant which we have to offer, in the hope that we will induce industry and residents into the Town. The tax rate will be approximately $60. How- ever, the tax rate and our maintenance and development ex- penditures, when compared with the valuation of property in Plymouth, are not too far out of line, considering the area of the Town of over a hundred square miles. By this, we are not implying that there are not many efficiencies which can be adopted that will make it possible for the Town to receive more for the money spent. In conjunction with this, we would like to refer you to the report of the special committee to
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study reorganization of the town government. This report makes many recommendations which should increase the efficiency of the town government.
Plymouth is in a unique position compared to other towns in the Commonwealth. There is no town which approaches Plymouth in area. There is no other town which can boast of such historical advantages as Plymouth. We also have twenty miles of shore and beaches, an excellent harbor which could be expanded considerably and become an even greater asset to the town. However, it appears that none of these assets have been fully exploited. Plymouth, due to its size, with proper planning, can support industrial development, expand its historical attractions and still be a residential town. To this can be added a tremendous summer population, which is attracted by our many ponds and beaches. We must, in this appraisal of the Town, recognize some of the handicaps which should be overcome. One of these is our inadequate trans- portation facilities. While at present our rail service is a handicap, with a larger and expanding economy, the rail service should expand comparably. As to highways, the Town stands in a good position with the completion of the southeastern expressway and arterial way. We will have a superhighway to the north and south and, with the rebuild- ing of Route 44 into a similar highway, to the west. No effort should be spared to expedite the completion of this important project. Air travel is a field in which Plymouth has not kept pace with the rest of the nation. With the completion of the airport project as recommended, we will be able to handle commercial type aircraft. We have also recommended the establishment of an industrial commission, which will work in close conjunction with all interested groups to secure the much-needed industries for Plymouth. This program is of a long range nature, results of which may not be apparent in the first year.
We are now laboring under a tremendous welfare load. Perhaps the highest per capita in the State. This can be at- tributed to the lack of progress in the Town. It is apparent that present business in Plymouth cannot support those people who live in it and are born in it. Many people work in other communities. Many young people establish residence else- where and seek employment elsewhere because there are not job opportunities in Plymouth. Therefore, as the average age of the inhabitants increases, we have a continually grow- ing roll of welfare cases and expenses. It is not an enviable
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record that, in times of national plenty, we are spending more and more each year in the Welfare Department. Therefore, it is up to the Town to do everything within its power to ex- pand the job opportunities available, so that we can raise the economic standards of the Town and reduce the welfare burden which the taxpayer must assume. This can be done only by making the Town attractive and desirable for business and residence.
We have all heard throughout the years of the crying need for more schoolrooms in the nation as a whole. We have heard it recommended that Plymouth build new schools in which to house an increasing school population. However, the trends and figures which are available to us now show that, if the Town of Plymouth continues as it has been going in the post-war years, we will have little or no need for added school facilities. At the present time, enrollment predictions, as shown by the birth rate, will at no time in the foreseeable future exceed that of 1937, unless the Town expands. Expan- sion of school facilities should go hand in hand with the ex- pansion of the Town, not precede it.
Your Advisory and Finance Committee has not taken its duties lightly. We have spent considerable time in delibera- tion and investigation of the budgets and of the special arti- cles which are to be put before you for your consideration. We do not voice the opinion or reasoning of one person; ours is a collective effort. We are not infallible, but we do caution you of the danger of exceeding the recommended appropria- tions. We feel that no greater load should be assumed by the taxpayers at this time. Our recommendations go far beyond those of finance committees in the past and we hope that you will use extreme care when you are asked to vote funds in excess of those which are recommended.
Respectfully submitted,
Paul J. Whipple, Chairman Wesley N. Churchill William F. Farley Everett Malaguti Edward N. Mayer
A. Stanton Bubbins George Anderson
Henry A. Ferrari
Urbane G. Graffam
Percival W. Fowler
William J. Harrington
Russell J. Hammond Bernard Kusmin
Vincent Nicoli
Paul Withington
Attested: Cora B. Grady, Secretary
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SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
Article 7 $2,457,720.99
Total of special articles 609,220.53
State and county assessments (net)
160,147.10
Overlay deficit (1956)
3,550.46
Overlay of 1957 (estimate)
40,000.00
Total recommended expenditures
$3,270,639.08
Estimated receipts
$857,451.66
Excess and Deficiency (Articles
11, 12 and 25)
154,300.00
Reserve Overlay (Article 10)
15,000.00
Parking meter receipts
(Articles 16 and 91)
12,575.00
Proceeds from state under Ch.
718 of 1956 (Art. 28)
65,382.30
Bond issue (Article 26)
70,000.00
Other (Articles 57, 58, 59, 103, 105,
107, 108 and Article 7, Item 145)
19,640.00
Total from other sources than tax levy
1,194,348.96
Net to be raised
$2,076,290.12
Poll Tax 1957 (estimate)
9,200.00
Total from real and personal taxes. $2,067,090.12
Based on the 1956 valuation of $34,442,950, this total will require a tax rate of approximately $60.
An increase of $1,000,000 in the valuation would reduce this tax rate by about $1.70 to approximately $58.30.
Each $34,500 added to or subtracted from the net total above would increase or decrease the tax rate approximately $1.
INDEX
Advisory & Finance Committee Report, 1957 345
Assessors, Board of 326
Cemetery Commissioners 325
Community Nurse
311
Housing Authority
332
Library
316
Park Department 334
Planning Board
331
Public Welfare
319
Aid to Dependent Children 320
Disability Assistance 320
Old Age Assistance 319
Infirmary
322
General Relief
32.1
Retirement, Board of
337
School Report 213
Administration 215
Appointments to Teaching Staff 247
Attendance Supervisor's Report 245
Calendar 216
Census 245
Committee 215
Elementary Schools, Report of 239
Employees
249
School Report - continued
Employment of Minors 245
Enrollment 246
Financial Statement 217
High School Principal's Report 232
In Memoriam
214
Junior High School Principal's Report 237
Oral Hygiene and Dental Clinic 243
Resignations in Teaching Staff 248
School Committee Report
221
Superintendent's Report
221
Selectmen's Department 265
Aid to Agriculture 310
Development and Industrial Commission 300
Engineer, Town 270
Fisheries, Inland
269
Forest, Town 269
Harbor Master 311
Insect Pest Control
273
Jurors, List of 290
Mayflower II Reception Committee 302
Mosquito Control Project
308
Public Safety, Commission of
274
Building Inspector
280
Dog Officer
280
Fire Division
277
Forest Fire 278
Health Division 282
Mechanical Division
278
Selectmens' Department - Continued
Police Division 275
Sealer of Weights and Measures 279
Selectmen's Report
267
Streets and Sewers, Supt. of
285
Veterans' Services
271
Town Accountant's Report 85
Schedule A (Cash Receipts and Payments) 88
Schedule B (Appropriations) 116
Schedule C (Estimated Receipts) 186
Schedule D (Revenue Account) 187
Schedule E (Excess and Deficiency) 188
Schedule F (Balance Sheet) 189
Schedule G (Funded Indebtedness) 193
Schedule H (Funded Indebtedness) 194
Schedule I (Trust Funds) 196
Schedule J (Calculation of Credit) 212
Town Clerk's Report 3
Adjourned Town Meeting, March 25, 1957 47
Annual Town Meeting
13
Births
84
Deaths
84
- in 195
Marriages
84
Officers, 1957 Town
3
Receipts
84
Town Meeting Members
10
Tree Warden 324
Water Department 255
ICN -- CIRCULATING
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